Collapsible container



June 27, 1939. M. ADKlSSON v GOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Fil ed Oct. 50. 19:57

ATTORNEY Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in containers and packages, and has for its primary object the provision of a unique, transparent, container for the packaging of flowers, corsages, gifts, and the like.

- .It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container of the type and for the purposes stated, which is simple in construction, arrangement, and operation, which is economical and inexpensive, which-is normally collapsible and may hence be conveniently stored in relatively small space prior to use, which, in upstanding package-forming position, is rugged and sturdy, serving adequately to protect the inclosed article or articles and, at the same time, attractively present the package-contents in clear View to the purchaser or recipient.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a transparent container which is substantially water, air, and moisture-proof, and which may, if desired, be simply, quickly, and conveniently closed or sealed for retaining the inclosed article or articles in fresh, undamaged condition free from dust and other deleterious substances.

And with the above and other objects in View, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a container constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention, illustrating the container in collapsed position;

, Figure 2 is a perspective View of the container in upright position opened out for the reception of the merchandise to be placed therein;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the container in upright and sealed position;

Figure 4 is a lengthwise vertical sectional view of the container, taken approximately along the. line 4'' l, Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the container, taken approximately along the line 5-5, Figure 3.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A

; designates a preferably oblong, rectilinear sheet of strong, 'fiexible, transparent material, such as Cellophane or the like, which is folded backward- Iy upon itself in the formation of a somewhat flattened elongated tube or shell having a top 58; pea-16m and underlying bottom portions 2, 3,'the

lengthwise margins 4, 5, thereof being brought into spaced apart parallel juxta-position for securement to a container-forming insert member B in a manner which will be presently more fully described and as best seen in Figure 1.

The insert member Bis die-cut or otherwise suitably formed from a preferably strong rigid piece of cardboard or the like in a rectangular shape of any desired size or dimension, having'a width equal to the exact width desired for the finished container and having a length equivalent to the length of the finished container plus twice the height of the finished container, for reasons which will presently more fully appear. The insert member B is provided inwardly of its one end with a transversely extending score or hinge line 6, which is spaced inwardly from the transverse edge by a distance equal to the desired height of the finished container in the provision of an end wall member I. The insert member B is further provided at its other end with a similar hinge line 8 likewise spaced inwardly from the adjacent transverse margin by a distance equal to the desired height of the finished container, a pair of parallel lengthwise extending cuts 9 being made in this end of the container from the outer transverse margin thereof inwardly to the hinge line in the provision of a pair of upstanding corner posts I0 and an end flap I I, which fits snugly therebetween, all as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 and for purposes presently more fully appearing. Formed of relatively stiff wire bent in the shape of a rectangle, is a top frame member C slightly shorter in length than the longitudinal distance between the hinge or score lines 6 and 8, respectively, of the insert member B and equal in width to the width of the insert member B, the frame member 0 thus having two lengthwise extending parallel side members I2 and two transversely extending end members I3. The frame member C is swingably mounted along its one end member I3 to the inwardly presented face of the end member I adjacent the upper margin thereof preferably by means of a tubular fold of paper or linen tape I4, which is, in turn, stapled,

glued, or otherwise rigidly secured to the end member I, as best seen in Figure 2. The opposite end member I3 of the frame C is likewise swingably mounted or attached to the corner post members I0 adjacent their upper marginsby means of two small tubular folds of paper or linen tape I5, which are, respectively, stapled,

- glued, or otherwise secured rigidly to the corner post members ID, as best seen in Figure 1 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

iii

It will be evident that the insert member B and the frame member C, when thus combined, will form an entire container frame which may be collapsed into substantially flat position by swinging the frame downwardly and forwardly into overlying position flatwise upon the top of the insert member B, the end member 1 thereof being swung about the hinge line 6 downwardly into flat overlying position on top of the upwardly presented face of the insert member B and the corner post members simultaneously swinging downwardly into flat position in the same plane as the end flap II, as best seen in Figure The Cellophane outer shell or envelope A, folded backwardly upon itself as above described, is then glued or otherwise secured along its margins 4, 5, to the downwardly presented face of the insert member B in the area between the hinge or score lines 6 and 8, respectively, being left free outwardly therefrom.

In actual use, the top portion I of the Cellophane envelope may be pushed upwardly and the frame member C swung upwardly away from the insert member B, whereupon the corner posts it] and the end flap 1 of the insert member B will swing upwardly into upright position, as shown in Figure 2. As the frame member C, the corner posts Ill, and the end member 1 swing upwardly into this position, they will come in contact with the outer Cellophane shell or envelope and draw it tightly into the container-forming position shown in Figure 2 with outwardly extending ends a, a, which will subsequently be folded upon themselves in conventional closure-forming manner and sealed or otherwise secured.

The merchandise, such as, for instance, a

floral bouquet or corsage, may be inserted through the aperture formed between the corner posts Ill and the end flap ll may thereupon be hinged upwardly into container-closure position, whereupon the end flap a may also be folded upon itself in any closure-forming manner and sealed or otherwise secured to form a complete container, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. It will be evident that, by my present invention, I have provided a container which, in collapsed position, will lie substantially flat and may consequently be shipped and stored prior to use in a simple, economical, and convenient manner. When folded into upright or operative position, the container provides a substantially transparent and yet firm and rigid display package, which is exceptionally attractive and desirable and, at the same time, provides a high degree of protection for the merchandise placed therein. Further, it will be evident that by suitably sealing the ends of the container, it is possible by my invention to provide an attractive transparent display container, which, at the same time, may be hermetically sealed for the preservation of the merchandise against damage from dust, moisture, or other atmospheric conditions.

It should be understood that changes and modiflcations in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the container may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a substantially rigid cardboard bottom wall, a first cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a second cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a rectangular wire top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends respectively to the free margins of said end members, and a three-sided flexible envelope marginally secured to the bottom wall for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame when the container is in upright position.

2. A container comprising a substantially rigid cardboard bottom wall, a first cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a second cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a rectangular wire top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends respectively to the free margins of said end members, and a three-sided transparent envelope marginally secured. to the bottom wall for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame when the container is in upright position.

3. A container comprising a substantially rigid cardboard bottom wall, a first cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a second cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom Wall at its opposite transverse margin, a rectangular wire top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends respectively to the free margins of said end members, and a. three-sided flexible envelope marginally secured to the bottom wall, being folded initially for flatwise disposition upon the bottom wall when the container is in collapsed position and being arranged for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame when the container is in upright position.

4. A container comprising a substantially rigid cardboard bottom wall, a first cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a second cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a rectangular wire top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends respectively to the free margins of said end members, and a three-sided flexible envelope marginally secured to the bottom wall for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame, one of said end walls being apertured for permitting access to the interior of the container when the container is in upright position.

5. A container comprising a substantially rigid cardboard bottom wall, a first cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a second cardboard end member hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends respectively to the free margins of said end members, and a flexible envelope secured at opposite margins to the bottom wall adjacent opposed longitudinal margins thereof for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame, one of said end walls being provided with a hinged flap for permitting access to the interior of the container when the container is in upright position.

6. A collapsible container comprising a rigid bottom wall, a first end member formed integrally with, and hingedly connected to, the bottom wall at its one transverse margin, a pair of integral upstanding parallel post members hingedly connected to the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a top frame hingedly connected at its opposite ends to the free margins of said end member and said corner posts, an end flap formed integrally with, and hingedly connected to, the bottom wall between said corner posts in the formation of a closure for the space therebetween, and a flexible envelope secured along opposite margins to the bottom wall adjacent the opposed longitudinal margins thereof for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its associated end walls and top frame when the container is in upright position.

7. A container comprising a substantially rigid rectangular bottom wall, a first rectangular end flap member formed integrally with, and hingedly connected to, the bottom wall at one transverse margin thereof, a second rectangular end member formed integrally with, and hingedly connected to, the bottom wall at its opposite transverse margin, a rectangular wire frame being in size and dimension substantially similar to the perimetral outline of the bottom wall and being hingedly secured along its transverse margins to the end walls respectively adjacent their upper free margins, and a flexible envelope marginally secured to the bottom wall for taut disposition around the bottom wall and its assobent upwardly around said score lines in the provision of equally sized swingable end walls, an open-faced top frame hingedly connected to the end walls for swingable movement toward and away from the bottom wall, and a flexible envelope attached to the bottom wall and extending upwardly from the longitudinal margins thereof across the top frame and being sized for snug retentive engagement with the peripheral edges of the top frame and end walls when the latter are in upright position whereby to hold said top frame and end walls in upright container-forming position.

9. A container comprising a relatively rigid rectangular bottom member provided with a score line parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, each of its opposed parallel end margins and being bent upwardly around said score lines in the provision of equally sized swingable end walls, an open-faced top frame hingedly connected to the end walls for swingable movement toward and away from the bottom wall, a flexible envelope attached to the bottom wall and extending upwardly from the longitudinal margins thereof across the top frame and being sized for snug retentive engagement with the peripheral edges of the top frame and end walls when the latter are in upright position whereby to hold said top frame and end walls in upright container-form- 

